Misplaced Fox
by Drk Phoenyx
Summary: Please check out The Fox and the Apocalypse for Kurama's continuing adventures in Sam and Dean's world. If you've already read this story, please read the author's note on the final chapter. Discontinued and Replaced.
1. Chapter 1

_Please, go easy on me. This is my first fanfic. I promise to always use spell check. _

_I do not own Supernatural or Yu Yu Hakusho. _

_I read too much fanfiction. There are two fics in particular that inspired this one: Supernatural Fox (YYH/Supernatural) by PlantRuler and Summoning (Dresden Files) by Moonhawk64._

_Pairings: Kurama/Hiei, Yusuke/Keiko, and maybe some Dean/Castiel (let me know what you think)_

_Setting: Post Yu Yu Hakusho anime and season 4 of Supernatural, prior to the Lucifer Rising. _

_~Youko's thoughts~_

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

I'm a college sophomore studying botany. What can these stupid ningens (great now I'm beginning to sound like Hiei) teach me? I'm a plant master; I could easily teach half my classes. Unfortunately, I can't expect to get any respectable job without a degree. I've turned my back on the Makai and I'm determined to make my mother proud.

I've had a long day. I was studying for midterms in the school's library, when I was attacked by the crazed fangirls who'd somehow managed to follow me to college. Not long after, I get a message from Botan telling me that some no name demon was trying to prove that he has what it takes to be the next great demon lord. I'm not even sure why I still bother to show up. The demon was a joke. I'm relatively sure Kuwabara could have handled it alone with one hand tied behind his back.

But the truth is that I'm bored. I'm beginning to think that I'm some sort of masochist. I actually miss the excitement of the tournaments. Nowadays, there are very few demons left in the human world that could give Yusuke or me a challenge. Hiei stopped coming to the meetings altogether.

Sighing heavily, I pull into my driveway. I have a modest two bedroom apartment. I don't have a roommate. There's an old cherry tree just outside the window of the spare bedroom. I must be crazy. Why else would keep a room for someone I've barely seen since the Demon Tournament ended. About all the spare room is good for is a place for Yusuke to crash after his frequent fights with Keiko. Recently, that's been about once every two weeks.

Hiei's disappearance still hurt. It's been about two years since I saw him last. I have no one to blame but myself. About midway through the Dark Tournament I realized I had some "inappropriate" feelings towards my best friend. I kept quiet for a while and was content with just being near him. I finally confessed to him shortly after the Sensui incident. He thought it was some kind of sick joke. He still doesn't believe anyone could love the "Forbidden Child". Youko's reputation certainly didn't help either. Ultimately, I think that's what drove him to Mukuro.

As if on autopilot, I walk into the apartment and systematically turn on the lights. Then, I pause. I can sense a familiar aura coming from the spare bedroom. "It can't be", I whisper under my breath.

Tugging open the door, I see my old friend poised in the cherry tree. It's been about two years since I last saw him. Silhouetted in the moonlight, I can see he's finally gotten taller. He can probably stand shoulder to shoulder with Yusuke now. As he steps through the window, I notice he's let his hair grow out. Maybe because of the additional weight, it now falls in waves to his shoulder blades instead of sticking straight up.

"Where have you been?"

At first, he just throws me one of his trademark glares. Then Hiei heaves a sigh, "I'm still working for Mukuro. The robotic bitch can be a real slave driver".

I chuckle a little, "You knew that before you signed on. Why should that surprise you?"

Hiei growls at me and then continues, "Well it's not like I'm needed around here anymore. The idiots are perfectly capable of handling a few puny demons on their own. I don't know why you stay in this filthy world or why you still help them."

"You know perfectly well why," my voice takes on an icy undertone "I owe it to my mother. I don't want anything more to do with the Makai so long as she's still alive. I've resigned to play the role of the dutiful son, Shuichi."

"Nothing to do with the Makai…I suppose that means you want nothing to do with me either?"

Youko chose that moment to chime in ~_Wait! Does that mean…Calm down Kit we don't want to scare him away again~_

I'm saved from answering immediately by a loud growl coming from Hiei's stomach. "Come on why don't we finish this discussion over dinner?"

I get halfway out the door when the ground is seemingly pulled out from under me.

_~Kit? Kit! Wake up!~_

'_What is it Youko? I was having a truly wonderful dream. It was about Hiei coming back to us.'_

_~That wasn't a dream, Kit. Now wake up. Something's not right.~_

Slowly, I sit up. The world spins a few times before settling into place and I take in my surroundings. Guessing from the moonlight pouring in from the single window and the low sloping ceiling, I'm in the attic of a western style home. There are candles set up around an ornate circle hand drawn in chalk on the floor. Huddled in one corner of the room are four teenage girls, one of which is clutching an old leather bound book like her life depends on it.

"Alright! We've done what you've asked can you let us go now?" wailed a goth girl in English.

That drew my attention to the other end of the room. There was a B class demon on the opposite end of the circle. He was wearing bright, tacky robes and glaring menacingly at the girls.

'_Is that Yomi?'_

_~It looks like him, but this demon isn't blind. He's not as powerful and I can't imagine Yomi dressing like that. He's also too old to be Shura. Where are we?~_

"Fools! Does that look like a demon fox to you? You were supposed to summon Youko Kurama," shouts the Yomi look-a-like as he approaches the girls with a wicked looking knife. "You're the ones who summoned me to this disgusting realm. If you can't prove your worth to me as servants, then I have no reason to spare your lives."

"B..but we did everything right," stammers a blonde girl holding up the book like a shield.

_~Yomi or not, he's going to kill those stupid girls. What do you want to do, Kit?~_

'_We have to save them, obviously.'_

_~They're the ones responsible for bringing us here! We owe them nothing.~_

'_Exactly, they brought us here. They should know where we are and more importantly, they should know how to send us back.'_

"Yomi," I ask as I push myself shakily to my feet. Now let's see if I can get out of this circle. There's a slight tingling sensation, but other than that I don't meet any resistance.

_~That must be how they got into this mess in the first place. They summoned Yomi here first, but couldn't contain him.~_

"Who are you? How dare you speak my name in such a familiar manner?"

"It's me, Kurama".

Yomi throws back his head and laughs. "Fool. You're just a pathetic human. I'll deal with you as soon as I finish of these girls."

'_Great, this day just keeps getting better and better.'_

_Next chapter: Sam and Dean show up to investigate. Reviews help the creative process XD_


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay! I've learned a few things since I posted my first chapter. For example, the line breaks I used in Word won't show up on the transferred document. I apologize for any confusion my sudden scene changes may have caused. To those of you who reviewed and/or put this on Story Alert, thank you._

_Warning: Language, Blood, and Violence (not graphic)_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

Yomi steps towards the girls the knife poised and ready.

"Think this through, Yomi," I call out moving between him and the girls. "Just think of what Koenma will do to you when he finds out you've been killing humans".

"Insolent human whelp," sneers Yomi. "Who the fuck are you? For that matter, who is Koenma and why should I care? You have 30 seconds to explain yourself before I tear you apart."

_~I like our Yomi better~_

"Koenma is Lord Enma's son and if you start killing humans he'll have you in a Spirit World prison before you know it," I answer as I inch my hand towards my hair. Within seconds, I have the desired seed in my palm and I bring my arms back to my sides. To the casual observer, it would just seem like a nervous habit. Yomi sees a nervous kid fiddling with his hair to calm his nerves. But I'm not nervous.

Yomi takes a moment to ponder this information. Then he shakes his head and chuckles. "I've never heard of this Koenma fellow, but I do know of Lord Enma. He cares even less for humans than I do."

'_So much for avoiding a confrontation'_

Yomi springs at me, knife flashing. I dodge the knife easily. This isn't the Yomi I know. His movements are sloppy and easy to follow. He's no match for me. The sad thing is that he has no idea who he's dealing with. By the time he realizes he's in trouble it will be too late. I launch a lightning fast series of punches followed by a swift kick in the gut. As Yomi recovers I somersault to the opposite side of the room.

Yomi whirls to face me, the girls in the corner forgotten. I sense him amassing demon energy for some sort of attack. I don't give him a chance to follow through.

"Rose whip!"

The look on Yomi's face is priceless, as he realizes that I hadn't been lying to him. He's rooted to the spot in shock and awe. "H..how?" he stammers.

And then it's over. A few flicks of the wrist and there's not enough left of Yomi that his mother could identify.

_~Well, that was easy enough~_

Just then two men come crashing through the attic's only door. The taller of the two carries a long knife. My attention however, is focused on the shorter man with the shotgun aimed at my chest.

'_Looks like you spoke too soon, Youko'_

_~They're human. We can handle them easily~_

I take a minute to consider the scene from an outsider's perspective. Yomi and I had been conversing in Japanese the whole time, so the girls didn't know why we were fighting. The group is still huddled in the corner. Like me, their attention is focused on the strangers. Thankfully, they have finally stopped crying. Between the girls and I is a mangled corpse, and from its condition there's no way you can tell offhand that it was never human. Finally, there's me, the only person in the room with a weapon.

I drop the whip, and it changes back into a seed before it hits the ground. I place my hands behind my head in a gesture of submission. Of course, I'm not stupid. I palm a few seeds before I address the newcomers.

_~What are you doing, Kit?~_

'_I'm trying for a diplomatic solution. Put yourself in their shoes. We look like the villains here. Plus, we still need the girls' help'_

"I know what this looks like, gentlemen. But, please hear me out." My English is heavily accented but coherent.

"I'm listening, monster. Explain" calls the shorter man.

I'm careful not to make any sudden movements. These guys seem too high strung already. I keep my voice cool and even. "I was brought here against my will. One minute I'm in my apartment in Japan, and the next minute I'm here. I don't even know where "here" is. I just saved these girls from the real monster."

The goth girl finally seems to grow a backbone. Rising to her feet she whispers, "It's true. We couldn't understand everything they were saying, but the other guy was about to attack us when he stepped in."

"How do you know that he wasn't just saving you for his dinner?" pipes up the taller man.

Everyone turns to me and I give them a glare that would make Hiei proud. "If I wanted you dead, we wouldn't be having this discussion."

A mousy haired girl chimes in, "It's true. It only took him a few seconds to take care of that demon."

"Demon?! Why don't you girls start from the beginning" says the taller man.

The goth girl, who seems to be the leader of the little group, comes forward. "I'm Amy. These are my friends Nancy, Tasha, and Denise. Last Friday, we had a sleepover here, at Denise's house. I brought this old book with me. We decided to try one of the spells. It wasn't supposed to work. It was a joke." The girl broke down sobbing.

The blonde girl, Nancy, took over the narrative. "We summoned a demon named Yomi, but the circle we set couldn't contain him. He got loose. At first I thought he was going to kill us, but he didn't. He said that since we released him from his prison he would spare our lives."

"But he didn't keep his word" murmured the mousy haired girl, Tasha. "This morning he caught up with us on our way home from school. He told Amy that he'd kill us if she didn't meet us in the attic with the book."

Denise, who'd been quiet up until now, spoke up. "He said that he'd kill us unless we summoned a demon fox named Yooko Harana. We followed the ritual exactly, but it didn't work. This guy showed up instead. Yomi was so mad that he was going to kill us, but he stopped him."

I flinched a little when the last girl butchered my name and the guy with the shotgun notices. As soon as Denise finishes he turns to me. "Next question. _Who?_ And more importantly _what_ are you?"

"That is a very long story. Can I please put my arms down now?"

_Next Chapter: Will Sam and Dean believe Kurama? How did the brothers find the attic?_

_Reviews aid the creative process XD_


	3. Chapter 3

_Okay, three chapters in four days!_

_Thanks again to those of you who reviewed and/or put this on story alert. _

_Remember, this takes place during season 4 of Supernatural. That's key in this chapter._

_I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Supernatural. I'm just a starving college student._

_Warnings: Language, Mentions of tentacles ;P_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

**XxxxBecause I still can't figure out that stupid line breakxxxX**

The shorter man addresses his companion "Search him first."

The taller man walks over and splashes water in my face. Quickly he grabs my hand and makes a shallow cut with the knife he'd been holding and then a second cut with a silver knife. Finally, he frisks me and holds up my wallet.

_~What the hell was that, Kit?~_

'_Holy water and silver, maybe?'_

I'm allowed to put my arms down. The man who'd cut me handed me a hankerchief and began flipping through my wallet. "Shuichi Minamono… Japan…21 yrs old…college ID…3000 yen."

"3000! You're buying dinner."

"That's yen, Dean. It's about $30." He holds up an old photo taken at Genki's temple, "Cute picture. Your family?"

"Friends. The woman in the second picture is my mother." Just as I let out a sigh of relief, the taller man bends down.

'_Crap'_

_~You didn't really think they'd forget that you were armed when they got here?~_

He's found the rose seed. He takes it to his friend for a second opinion. "It looks like some sort of seed. Is that what he dropped?" One of the girls sneezes in the corner. "Give me the book and go home. Denise, it should be safe but just in case go downstairs and get some salt. Put a line of salt across every entrance and window. Where are your parents?"

"Out of town", she whispers. "My brother's on a band trip and they went along as chaperones" Then she and the other girls scurry out of the attic.

"Alright, back to business. How'd you take out that demon?" the shorter man says. The gun is no longer aimed at my chest, but he hasn't put it away either.

"Can we start with introductions? I'm Shuichi Minamono, Kurama to my friends. And you are?"

The taller man steps forward. "I'm Sam Winchester and this is my brother, Dean. You said Kurama? Are you or are you not the Youko Kurama the demons were trying to summon?"

"I'm…" Just then we hear the girls outside screaming. I make it out of the attic first, the brothers hot on my heels.

"Shit", curses Dean. "It's the demons who got away at the bookstore."

'_Demons? I don't sense any yokai.'_

The _demons_ have captured the girls. With no time to waste, I throw a handful of seeds on the ground and raise my demon energy. My vines grab the demons and hold them aloft pinning arms and legs rendering them immobile. The girls take off running not even bothering to stop and say thanks.

Both brothers turn to me wide eyed. "What the fuck is that!" yells Dean. "It looks like the beginning of some Japanese porno."

Sam sputters, "What?"

"You know, Sammy, tentacle rape."

"No, Dean. I can proudly say that I _didn't_ know that."

_~Great, we're surrounded by idiots.~_

One of the demons lets out a maniacal laugh and turns to me, "Hello, Youko. You're not exactly what I was expecting." Then she turns to taunt the brothers, "Looks like you boys were too late again. Lilith's broken another seal." I hold my sensitive nose as all three demons look skyward and black smoke pours out of their mouths.

"You can let them down now" Sam tells me. He walks over and checks the limp forms for a pulse. Shaking his head, he turns to me, "Could you give us a hand. We need to salt and burn the bodies."

I can feel my eyebrows shoot up to my hairline.

'_Salt and burn?'_

_~Your guess is as good as mine, Kit~_

We carry the bodies into the backyard. Fortunately, it's an old farm. It's dark and there aren't any close neighbors. We remain silent as the bodies burn. Respect for the dead, I guess.

As the embers begin to die, I turn to Sam and hold up my phone. I have to try and call home. Sam just nods.

I try my phone number first, praying that I can get a hold of Hiei. I get an automated message telling me that the phone has been disconnected. I try my mother's number and get a hair salon. I get similar results when I try to contact Genki, Kuwabara, and Yusuke. I managed to contact the ramen shop Keiko's parents own, but no one there has ever heard of Yusuke.

_~This can't be good, Kit~_

Frowning, I return to the brothers. "What's wrong" inquires Sam.

My voice is a little shaky as I answer, "I don't think this is my world. It could be some sort of parallel dimension"

Dean laughs, "What do you mean? Like some kind of science fiction movie? Like Sliders?"

_~First tentacles_, _now Sliders?~_

'_This guy watches too much TV'_

"I can't reach any of my family or friends. I keep getting wrong or disconnected numbers. The first demon, Yomi, was a good friend of mine on my world. Except the Yomi I knew was blind and much more powerful. I doubt that I could beat my Yomi in a fair fight."

"So, you really are Youko Kurama. Just not our Youko Kurama?" asks Sam.

"Like I said before, it's a long story."

"We have time."

I sit down with a heavy sigh. "Youko Kurama was the Makai's, that's the Demon World, greatest thief. For thousands of years he plundered and pillaged the Makai. But he grew cocky. About 22 years ago, he broke into the estate of a powerful demon lord. On his way out he was shot by a bounty hunter. Fatally wounded, he escaped to the human world. There he found a human woman who was about to miscarry. He combined his soul with the soul of the unborn child and together they survived."

"So are you a human or a demon?" asks Dean.

"Neither and both. And the proper term is yokai not demon. I'm unique, two souls living in a single body. In this form I'm completely human, but I can still access my demon energy. I also have a yokai form."

"What do you mean by demon energy?" asks Sam. "And what's your yokai form look like?"

"I'm a silver fox. As for demon energy, remember the seed? I'm a plant manipulator." I pull out another rose seed. I show it to the brothers before I transform it into a rose and then a whip.

Dean whistles, "Damn."

"He should come with us", says Sam. "He may be able to find some clue as to how to get home in Bobby's library."

Dean thinks it over for a few minutes before replying. "Sure. What the hell. He can't be any worse than Ruby, right?"

"Dean", Sam hisses.

"Now hold on a minute. I don't even know where I am. Who says I want to go with you. In the two hours that I've known you, I've seen you break into a stranger's home carrying weapons; you threatened to kill me; we've been attacked by demons; and we've burned three bodies."

Dean starts laughing.

Sam answers me, "The demons are trying to start the apocalypse. Their leader, Lilith, is trying to break 66 seals in order to free Lucifer. Summoning you here broke one of those seals. So, are you coming with us?"


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks again to my readers and reviewers._

_Warnings: Language_

_Pairings: Kurama/Hiei, Sam/Ruby, Dean/Castiel_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

I decided to go with them. Honestly, what else could I have done? I'm in a foreign country on an alternate reality with no passport or money.

The three of us pile into a beautiful Chevy Impala and head over to a ratty old motel on the outskirts of town. As I step out of the vehicle, I notice a dark haired "man" in a trench coat coming towards us.

'_He's not human, but he's not a yokai or demon either. Any ideas, Youko?'_

_~Your guess is as good as mine, Kit. With the day we're having there's very little that could surprise me.~_

Sam draws me away from Dean and the newcomer. "What's going on? Who's your friend in the trench coat?"

Sam sighs, "That's Castiel. He doesn't like me very much and he'll probably like you even less."

I arch an eyebrow at him. "He's not human. I can tell that much. In fact, I don't think he's anything I've ever encountered before. Taking into consideration Youko's age, that's really saying something."

"Remember how we told you we were trying to avert the apocalypse?" I nod and he continues, "You don't find it strange that two ordinary humans are trying to do this by themselves?"

I give Sam a mischievous grin. "Honestly, I was considering the possibility that you're both nuts."

Sam laughs for a second. Then, all the humor is gone from his voice as he continues, "Dean died last spring, Kurama. He sold his soul to a demon in order to save my life." He pauses and I can see tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. "He spent four months in Hell before Castiel pulled him out."

I turn and watch Dean and Castiel with a new understanding. They're still talking by the Impala in the parking lot. Castiel turns his back to Dean for a second.

_~Is Dean staring at his ass?~ Youko snickers ~I think our friend, Dean, has a little crush~_

'_Behave, Youko. Assuming Sam's not crazy, what can pull someone out of Hell?'_

_~I wish I had an answer for you, Kit~_

I return my attention to Sam. "You still haven't answered my question, Sam. What is Castiel?"

"He's an angel", Sam deadpans.

I look at him like he's completely lost his marbles. "No, seriously. He's the real deal. Wings and everything. We've been on this little crusade since Cas brought Dean back last September. He told us that Dean was an essential part of God's plans."

_~Great! They're not just nuts. They're religious nuts. I think it's time to get out of here, Kit~_

Just then Castiel vanishes and Dean returns. "I don't know about you guys, but I could really use a drink."

"We should check in first," replies Sam.

Dean and I enjoy a quiet moment before Sam returns with two keys. He tosses one to Dean and says, "You two are in room 108. I'll be next door in room 109." He sees Dean glaring at him. "Look. I figured you'd want to keep an eye on the new guy, no offense Kurama." I shrug and he continues, "You guys are headed to the bar and I plan to turn in early. It only makes sense."

Dean heads over to room 109 muttering something about "Ruby" under his breath. He tosses his bag onto the bed nearest the door, essentially claiming it and heads right back out. "Come on, Kurama, let's get out of here."

**XxxDamn you, line breakxxX**

We walk into a small bar about half a block from the motel. Dean finds a booth near the back and plops down. He wastes no time in flagging down a waitress and ordering two beers and pie.

I wait until the waitress brings back the beers before addressing my companion, "So, how does one get 'chosen by God' to stop the apocalypse?"

"Sammy told you about that did he? Damned if I know. Our father began fighting demons after one of them killed our mother. When I was old enough, I took up the family business. I recruited Sam a little over three years ago, after the same demon killed his girlfriend."

"Sumimasen. I didn't realize. Where's your father now?"

"Dead", Dean replies. There's an awkward pause as he takes a long draught of his beer. The tension isn't broken until the waitress returns with two more beers and the pie.

"Alright, your turn. What do you do Kurama?"

"I'm in college right now. I'm studying botany. I also have a part-time job at a local bookstore," I reply in between mouthfuls. Its good pie and I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.

"What does a demon, sorry _yokai_, need with a part-time job? I thought you said that Youko Kurama was a great thief?"

"Exactly, Youko was a thief."

"You're referring to yourself in third person now?"

"I'm not that person anymore. Kurama is a blend of Youko and Shuichi's personalities. Most days I live and act just like any other human. I'm trying to make my mother proud. I don't ever want her to regret that I stole her son from her."

"You're a real momma's boy, aren't you? Does she know?"

I laugh, "If you heard voices in your head, would you tell anyone? I'd have spent half of my childhood in therapy."

Dean's laughter joins my own. "Don't you ever get tempted though? Either to steal or to kick some unsuspecting idiot's ass."

"I'm tempted to kick Yusuke's and Kuwabara's asses almost daily," I snort. "As for stealing, I've only stolen once since I was reborn as Shuichi. I stole an artifact, the Mirror of Forlorn Hope, to save my mother's life. That's how I wound up working for the Renkai."

Dean perks up a bit, "What is a Renkai?"

"Spirit World, it's our version of heaven. I broke into the Renkai vaults with two partners. The mirror is designed to grant any wish any wish in exchange for the user's life."

"It didn't work then?" Dean asks.

Reaching into my wallet I pull out the photo that Sam had found a few hours earlier. "This is Yusuke," I say, pointing to my friend. "When he heard why I wanted the mirror, he offered his life to the mirror in my stead. Because of Yusuke's selfless act, the mirror spared both of our lives."

Dean looks impressed. "That's some friend."

I laugh, "He didn't even know me at the time. He was the Spirit Detective at the time. It was his duty to stop my partners and me and to recover the missing artifacts."

"What happened to your partners?"

"One of them was killed fighting Yusuke. The other, Hiei," I point to the photo again "was sentenced with me to aid Yusuke. It was our parole."

"What does a Spirit Detective do exactly?"

"We save humans from evil yokai and occasionally we save yokai from humans."

Things remained quiet for a few moments until a pretty blonde walks past our booth.

"Check out the babe by the pool tables," Dean prods.

I groan and shake my head.

"What? She's smoking hot. How could you…" he catches a look at my face. "Oh crap, I didn't think. You have someone waiting for you, don't you? Are you married?"

Suddenly, the bottom of my glass is infinitely more fascinating. Searching for courage, I drain the glass before continuing, "I think I need another drink."

Dean flags the waitress and soon my glass is full again.

"So…Who is she?"

"My mother would love nothing more than to have me settle down with some nice girl and give her lots of grandchildren," I laugh bitterly.

"So what's the problem? Is she a yokai? Do yokai even marry?"

"We have something similar. We call it mating. The main difference is that we don't believe in divorce. Yokai mate for life. For that reason, we try to find another yokai of comparable power to share our life with. Gender doesn't matter."

"Yusuke?" Dean asks. "I guess it makes a certain amount of sense. After all, he did save your life and your mother's."

I can't help but laugh. "Not that idiot. It's Hiei."

"The short kid?"

"He's older than he looks. Okay, I've spilled enough of my secrets. What's the deal with you and Castiel."

Dean chokes, "I don't know what you're talking about."

_~Yeah, you keep telling yourself that~_

**XxxLine breakxxX**

_Sorry, no action this time. I want to ensure you all that I __**am not**__ trying to set up a Dean/Kurama pairing. It seems to me that Sam and Dean wouldn't blindly trust anyone. This chapter is Dean's way of feeling Kurama out if you will._

_Next chapter, we'll take a look at what's happening in the Renkai in both dimensions. You didn't really think that Hiei was going to sit idly by while Kurama is missing, did you?_


	5. Chapter 5

_I'm sorry that this one took longer than usual. _

_I'd like to send a very special "thank you" to Fire. Her review inspired me to get off my lazy butt and finish this chapter._

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

The doors to Koenma's office fly open so hard that it nearly breaks the hinges. Paperwork flies everywhere and a certain blue ogre cowers behind the prince's chair. Koenma stares at Hiei slack-jawed, his pacifier lying forgotten on the desk in front of him. Hiei moves purposefully through the office and stops in front of the desk.

If looks could kill, Koenma was sure he would have been incinerated on the spot. "Hiei, I'm sorry I…What did I do exactly?"

Hiei's glare intensifies, "Where's Kurama?"

"I assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about," Koenma defends. Turning in his chair, he addresses the crouched form behind him, "Ogre, did we send Kurama on any missions?"

"Not that I know of sir. Maybe it's in the paperwork you've allowed to back up on your desk?"

"Don't get smart with me now, Ogre."

"He's not on a mission," Hiei growls.

"Then why did you come to see me?"

"I was in Kurama's apartment when he disappeared. We were both walking towards the kitchen when he simply vanished. There's no trace of where he may have gone."

Koenma let out a sigh of relief. This was starting to make sense. "Hiei, you disappeared for two years. Kurama tried not to show it, but the truth is that you running away really hurt him. Did you consider the possibility that maybe he doesn't want to see you again?"

"Fool, I said he vanished not that he ran away."

"Hiei, I shouldn't have to tell you this, but in case you haven't noticed, Kurama is really fast," Koenma retorts sarcastically.

Faster than Koenma's mind can process, Hiei's naked blade is pressed against his throat. "Faster than me?" Hiei growls.

"I see your point," Koenma chokes out. "You can let me go now."

Hiei lowers his katana slowly and backs away. "Have a seat Hiei. I'll send Botan out to gather up the rest of the gang. In the meantime, I'll start looking for him."

Ignoring the chair, Hiei moves to stand by the door. Koenma and Ogre begin to furiously sort through the paperwork piled on the desk. Next, he calls in the fairy girls and informs them of the situation. He then sends each one to different sectors to try and physically locate the fox. After an hour of flipping through the channels on his bank of television screens, the fairy girls begin to return. They only confirm what Koenma's already learned. Kurama isn't anywhere in the three realms. He's just about his wits end when Botan returns.

"Hiei?" says Kuwabara walking through the door first. He's plainly surprised by the small demon's presence.

"What's up, toddler?" Yusuke asks, sauntering through the door next.

"Kurama's missing," replies an exasperated Koenma.

Taking note of Hiei's presence, Yusuke retorts, "You sure he didn't just run away?"

Hiei growls and his hand moves to his katana.

"Chill I'm just saying…"

"Kurama's gone," Koenma says gesturing to the bank of televisions. "He's not here, he's not in the Makai, and he's not in the human world either."

"Just tells us what you need us to do, Koenma," supplies Kuwabara. Noticing Hiei's glare he continues, "Hey man, he's our friend too."

"We have a psychic on retainer. I want you guys to see if she can help." Koenma passes a slip of paper to Yusuke with an address. "She's an American. How's your English?"

Hiei looks confused and Kuwabara and Yusuke exchange nervous looks.

"Never mind, take Botan with you."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_Meanwhile…_

Eternity is a long time to be bored, ponders the teenage god sitting in a karaoke room. Sitting opposite of him is his best friend, an ogre named Jorge Saotome. Koenma spends most of his days like this, surrounded by gorgeous women and the best booze money can buy. Sure, the faces and scenery change. Today, they're in Tokyo; yesterday they were at a dance club in Madison, WI.

Koenma was happy that Jorge had finally learned to use glamour. It allowed him to move freely through the human realm. A new song begins to play and Jorge jumps up and shouts, "Ooh ooh, this one's mine." Jorge's singing leaves much to be desired. Koenma claps anyways and after a moment's hesitation, the girls follow his lead. He doesn't even know the girls' names, nor does he care. They're just a distraction. There's only one girl that he's ever been interested in and she wouldn't even give him the time of day.

Just then the door opens and Lord Enma's favorite fairy girl waltzes in. Decked out in motorcycle leathers and carrying an oar, the blue-haired fairy girl is the most beautiful thing Koenma's ever seen. Seeing the booze and girls, she curls her lip.

"Bbbbotan?" Koenma stammers. He jumps up, scattering bottles everywhere. "Out!" he commands the girls. "Botan I'm sorry I I I…."

Shaking his head, Jorge rises and turns to the fairy girl. "I think what my friend here is trying to say is 'How can we help you, Botan?'".

She turns to Koenma and says, "Lord Enma would like to speak to you right away, sir."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

Koenma approaches his father's private chambers alone. He knew that his father felt that he was useless. He was nearly 900 years old and Lord Enma still didn't entrust him with any responsibilities. Not that Koenma really blamed him.

The last time his father had left him in charge was the middle of the 14th century. Koenma had been sent to an Italian port town to stop a group of traders. It was Koenma's first trip outside of Japan and he'd taken Jorge with him. Unfortunately, they'd gotten too caught up in exploring the new country that they'd failed their mission. Who'd have thought that a few rats could cause so much trouble? His father still blames him for the Black Death.

Koenma entered his father's quarters and bowed respectfully. "You wished to see me, father."

"I have a mission for you. The yokai, Yomi, has escaped from his prison cell. The fairy girls traced him to a small town in America, but they lost his trail there. I don't need to tell you how important it is to me that you find Yomi. Bring him in, dead or alive, preferably dead."

"Thank you for entrusting this mission to me sir. I will not disappoint you, father."

"I know you won't, because I'm sending Botan with you. You have three weeks. I want you back here with Yomi's head on a plate by the end of the month. You're dismissed."

'_Yomi,'_ thought Koenma as he exited his father's chambers. '_He was a member of Youko Kurama's pack. The kitsune had been one of his father's most hated enemies.'_

The infamous thief and womanizer had been caught in a very compromising position with Koenma's mother. Lord Enma had slain his queen on the spot, but Youko managed to get away. When Enma caught up to the fox in Hokkaido in 1640, the god lost his top as did Mt. Komogatake. The resulting eruption and the tsunami it caused killed over 700 humans (1) and a certain kitsune.

Since then, Renkai agents have been wiping out every remaining kitsune. It is a well known fact that kitsune pelts fetch a high price in the Renkai. And any kitsune that rises above C class has a bounty placed on his or her head.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

Botan's portal opened up in the backyard of a small farmhouse. There were traces of Yomi's energy everywhere. But that wasn't the only energy Koenma could sense.

"Can you feel that?" Koenma asks Jorge and Botan.

Jorge looks sheepish and replies, "What?"

"I can tell there was a lot of youki in the area and some other kind of energy that I can't identify," says Botan.

"I think there was at least two yokai. Let's see if anyone's home," says Koenma.

Jorge knocks loudly on the front door as Botan checks the back door. "I don't think anyone's here, boss," supplies Jorge.

"The back door is unlocked. Come on slowpokes!"

They enter the house together, cautiously checking each room. Jorge stops abruptly and Koenma almost runs him over. "I smell blood," the ogre explains.

"Where's it coming from?" asks Botan.

Botan and Koenma follow Jorge up to the attic. There they find a huge blood stain seeped into the wooden floor. "It smells like yokai blood. What do you guys think?" asks Jorge.

"I can sense Yomi's yokai. There's a second energy signature here too. It feels like a kitsune," says a surprised Botan.

"That's impossible!" Koenma shouts. "There aren't any kitsunes left that could challenge a yokai like Yomi."

"Remember, Koenma. Yomi's cell was heavily warded. It would have taken him weeks if not months to fully regain his energy," says Botan.

The trio walked back outside with more questions than answers. "If Yomi or some other yokai died, where's the body?" asked Koenma.

"Does anyone else smell smoke?" asks Jorge walking towards the tree line. They find a patch of scorched earth near the woods. Bending down to examine the site closer Jorge picks up a few teeth and shows them to his companions. "This is recent," he informs. "Whoever lit this fire hasn't been gone long."

"Botan, are there any towns near here?" asks Koenma.

"Jefferson, Ohio."

"Let's check the local hotels, diners, and bars."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

There wasn't much of a town to explore, and it didn't take them long to find their quarry. They sensed the yokai as soon as they walked into the town's only bar. He was drinking in a booth near the back with a human companion. From their drunken state, it was clear that they'd been there for a while.

"Well," says Botan. "At least we now know who won the fight."

"Yes," says Koenma. "But why were they fighting?"

"I don't get it," says Jorge. "He feels almost human. He's young and can't be ranked any higher than C class. Even in Yomi's weakened state, this kid shouldn't have been able to beat him."

Just then, the yokai slumps forward in his chair. His human companion laughs, hoists him up, and they stumble out of the bar.

"Follow them," Koenma instructs Jorge. "We'll get our answers in the morning."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_This is a real volcano, the date of the eruption and death tolls are historically accurate._

_Strangely, I've always liked Jorge. I wanted to give him a bigger part in this fic._


	6. Chapter 6

_Finals are over. Hopefully, I can use the extra time to knock out a few more chapters. This is my longest chapter yet. I had a lot of fun writing it, so enjoy._

_Warnings: Language, Violence_

_Pairings: Kurama/Hiei, Dean/Castiel, Sam/Ruby, Koenma/Botan (eventually)_

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

"Hey guys, wake up!" calls Sam pounding on the door.

I groan and throw a pillow at Dean. "Why'd your brother have to be a morning person?"

Dean pulls the pillow over his head and groans.

"Say something before he thinks I murdered you in your sleep."

"Dean," calls Sam, "Answer me or I swear I _will_ break this door down."

Dean chuckles dryly, "Give us a minute to get showered and dressed, Sammy."

Getting up, I have to strain my eyes from the light coming from the gap in the curtains. After a quick shower, I move to the other bed and prod Dean until he gets up.

He showers and changes and just before we're ready to leave he notices my state of dress. "You wearing that?"

I know my clothes are stained and torn, but I didn't exactly have much choice. "Well, they didn't exactly give me time to pack."

He digs in his bags for a few minutes and finally pulls out a battered old flannel shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "This will have to do until we can get to Walmart."

"Thanks."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

My new friends and I drove to a small diner at the center of town. Sam asks me to go in and grab a booth while he talked to Dean outside. I choose a seat near the door so that I can catch snippets of their conversation as customers come and go through the door. The brothers still hadn't realized that my hearing is better than a human's and I'm not about to correct that misconception.

I can't hear the entire conversation. From what I could hear, I can tell that they are talking about me. After we left last night, Sam stayed in the hotel and researched yokai online. He found a couple of examples in lore and mythology that referred to them as benevolent creatures. Unfortunately, he found even more examples of yokai harming humans. Dean didn't seem entirely convinced that I was on their side, but he told Sam that he was willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

The brothers returned and we discussed mundane topics over breakfast. Dean was about halfway through his eggs when I notice another trio walk into the diner. I was so surprised that I almost choked on my tea.

"Dude, what's wrong?" asks Dean.

"The three people who just walked in," I reply. "Don't turn around."

"Who are they and how do you know them? Are they more yokai?" asks Sam.

"They're from the Renkai," I explain in a soft voice. "The shorter man is Prince Koenma. He's the son of Lord Enma, the ruler of the Renkai. The girl with the blue hair is Botan. She's a fairy girl; they're like the grim reaper. I'm not sure about the other guy, but he sounds a lot like Koenma's assistant, Jorge."

"That's the grim reaper?" Sam laughs.

"No offense," Dean scoffs, "but what is a Japanese god doing in Ohio?"

"It probably has something to do with Yomi. He mentioned that he'd escaped from prison. They probably went to find Yomi and tracked me from the farm."

"How do you want to handle this?" asks Sam.

Before I can answer, a young man takes the empty seat to my right. Dean and Sam share a surprised look until the strangers eyes turn black as coals. Several more restaurant patrons get up and start edging towards our table.

"Shit!" swears Sam.

Dean tosses me a gun and the brothers move into action. I look at the gun in disgust and tuck it into the waistband of my borrowed sweats. Taking a defensive stance, I place myself between the demons and the civilians.

'_We need to get these people out of here.'_

"Kid, get down," yells one of the bystanders. Glancing back, I notice the telltale gleam of a badge on his belt as he draws a gun from his shoulder holster. Now that gives me an idea.

"Does anyone know how to use one of these?" I ask, pulling the gun from my waistband. An older woman holds out her hand. I raise an eyebrow, but silently pass granny the gun.

Twelve demons break off from the main group and make their way to our position. Withdrawing a seed, I transform it into my signature whip. I can see the cop eyeing me nervously. Koenma, Botan, and Jorge move up to stand next to Granny and the cop.

"Hey pretty foxie," singsongs a female demon. "Why don't you leave the humans to us? This isn't your fight."

"Now where would be the fun in that?" I respond.

A male demon sizes me up and says, "We have no beef with your kind. Leave now and we'll let you live."

I pretend to think it over for a minute. "Sorry guys. Call me crazy, but I always like to root for the underdogs."

Before any of the demons can respond, I decapitate the male speaker with my whip. Then all hell breaks loose as the demons rush towards us. Jorge lets out a noise that can only be described as a roar before grappling with the lead demon. Botan produces her oar and starts hefting it like a bat, knocking several demons unconscious. I continue to shred away at them with my whip. Behind me I hear a shot and one of the demons drops with a hole in the center of his forehead.

_~Wow. Who'd have guessed that Granny was such a good shot!~_

The cop runs out of ammo, and a demon slips behind him and slits his throat. He moves towards the old woman's grandkids, but is blown back by a barrier hastily erected by Koenma. Luckily, we're near the emergency exit. Koenma angles the barrier between the demons and the door and starts herding the civilians out the door.

"Thanks, Koenma," I call.

The battle is starting to take its toll. I'm bleeding from several small knife wounds as well as a slice along my cheek where a bullet grazed me. Botan's movements have slowed significantly. She looks like she can barely hold up her oar. Jorge is doing a little bit better than Botan, but I can tell that he's tired too.

"Botan! Jorge! Hang in there! The civilians are almost out," I call.

_~We can't keep up this pace much longer, Kit~_

'_We just need to hang in there until Koenma can get the humans out'_

"I'm out of ammo," Granny informs me.

"That's everyone!" yells Koenma.

"Shit," I curse. Then I have an epiphany. "Follow the others. I have an idea."

I pull out a handful of seeds and toss them about the diner. Raising my yoki, I'm able to trap about half of the remaining demons in vines just like at the farmhouse.

"Just like shooting fish in a barrel," grins Dean as he quickly kills the trapped the demons.

As I watch, Sam takes down the last demon. Dean takes a second to wipe the sweat from his brow. Surveying the destruction, I see a fallen demon rise in the kitchen. The whole world seems to slow as he scoops up a gun and levels it at Dean.

"Dean! Down!" I call, already flying towards the kitchen.

_~You'll never make it!~_

My heart stops as I hear the click of the safety being released.

'_I can't, but you can.'_

Then, I relinquish control to my darker half. In a flash, Youko is in the kitchen. He slams the unsuspecting demon into the wall and cleanly snaps his neck.

All the remaining occupants of the diner are staring at Youko. Sam and Dean are looking at him with a mixture of horror and awe. Koenma's mouth just keeps flapping open and shut like a fish.

Strangely, Sam recovers first. "Silver fox, huh," he chuckles.

"An S class kitsune," Botan whispers. There's disbelief apparent in her voice.

"That's impossible," says Koenma. "The kitsune have been hunted to the brink of extinction."

"Why is everyone treating me like I'm not even here?" says Youko haughtily.

'_Were you listening to Koenma? Maybe now would be a good time to trade places.'_

_~But I just got here. Fine. Why do you get to have all of the fun?~_

Youko relinquishes control and I can feel myself shrinking. My silver hair bleeds red and my golden orbs turn back to their original emerald hue. I didn't think it possible, but Koenma's gang looked even more surprised than before.

As soon as I was sure the change was completed, I address Koenma, "Why are you following me?"

Koenma actually looks slightly embarrassed as he answers, "We were sent to bring Yomi back to my father, Lord Enma. He escaped confinement three days ago, and Renkai agents tracked him to a farmhouse outside of town. We found evidence of a fight between yokai, but we couldn't tell who won."

Jorge pipes up for the first time, "We realized that the victor couldn't have gotten too far and headed into town. We were surprised to find you at the bar last night. Honestly, we were expecting to find Yomi."

_~You've got to be more careful, Kit. They tracked us down last night and you didn't even notice~_

'_Don't worry. I don't plan on going out and getting that drunk again anytime in the near future. I _still _have a_ _hangover.'_

"I'm sorry Jorge, but I'm afraid you won't be able to take Yomi back to Lord Enma," I tell him allowing a slight grin to play across my features.

"I was afraid you were going to say that. I don't suppose that you…Wait!" Koenma suddenly looks very confused and I realize my blunder. "We never told you our names."

_Youko snickers, ~You _really_ aren't with it today. Maybe you_ _should have left me in charge~_

My more sensitive ears pick up the noise of the sirens first. "Maybe we should continue this conversation someplace more private," I suggest nodding towards the demons and then letting my gaze rest on the dead cop.

"Good idea," says Dean.

Botan opens a portal and motions for everyone to follow. Sam and Dean pause at the threshold and I give them a little nudge. "Don't worry. Botan knows what she's doing."

"Dude, you're asking us to follow the grim reaper," Dean says.

"Don't be such a pussy," Sam says as he steps through the portal.

Expecting to find myself in Koenma's office, I'm surprised when I see that we're back at the farmhouse. There's an uncomfortable silence until Botan sighs and motions to Dean. I hadn't noticed it before but his left pants leg is saturated from the knee down.

"Let me see your leg," she commands.

I can't help but smile. From her demeanor and attire I can tell that she's very different from the happy-go-lucky Botan I know. Yet, it's amazing how some things remain unchanged. She quickly heals Dean's leg and then turns her attention to a marginally smaller gash on Sam's arm. Once finished, Sam and Dean thank her.

"Who are you two and what are you doing with scum like him," she asks the brothers gesturing at me.

"That _scum_ just saved a diner full of people including everyone standing here," defends Sam.

"Kitsune are notorious tricksters. I'm sure this is some kind of game he's playing," replies Koenma. He turns his attention back to me, "Who are you?"

"Kurama."

"Okay, better question," says Botan. "What are you? Your yoki was so low when I first saw you that I almost mistook you for a human. Even now, if I didn't know better I'd guess that you were a C class if not lower."

"You didn't 'mistake' me for human. I am human."

Jorge and Koenma laugh and Botan responds, "Like hell you're a human! We all saw you transform back there. You're an S class kitsune. If someone had asked me yesterday, I would have sworn such a thing couldn't exist."

Before I can answer her, Castiel charges past the tree line. Relief washes over his features as he notices us and he heads our way. "Dean!" he calls. "I got word of a lot of demon activity in your area and then you just disappeared."

Dean blushes, "We're alright. Kurama and these guys helped out. Together we were able to take care of the demons and get most of the civilians out."

Castiel seems to notice Koenma's group for the first time and he looks disgusted. "Pagans," he says with a sneer. "Why are you here? This doesn't concern your kind."

"We simply came here to find an escaped criminal," Koenma replies diplomatically.

"Leave. _Soon_. And take that fox with you when you go," he says and then vanishes.

'_Ever get the feeling that no one appreciates you?'_

_~All the time, Kit. All the time.~_

"Demons, angels, and an S class kitsune," mutters Jorge. "I'm just an ogre and I can tell when I'm in way over my head. I'll be over there if you need me." Then he walks over to have a seat on the back porch.

"You folks have interesting friends," whispers Botan.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_In case you're wondering, I put the Sam/Ruby pairing at the top, but she really won't have any bearing on the story. I will mention her from time to time, but that's it. I didn't like her before I knew she was evil and I certainly don't like her now._


	7. Chapter 7

_I have to take a teacher certification test tomorrow. I never realized just how bad my grammar was until I started studying for the test. The questions are multiple choice and they ask you to find the error in the sentence or passage. Half the time I can't see anything wrong with the original. It's so embarrassing that I almost stopped writing._

_Warnings: Language_

_I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or Supernatural_

_I spent days trying to write this chapter in third person format. In an attempt to post this chapter sooner (and to preserve my sanity) I've returned to first person point of view. This chapter is from Botan's POV._

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

Pamela Barnes was the clairvoyant Koenma most often employed. There were a few others closer to Yusuke's home, but none of the others had skills even approaching Pam's. As an officer's daughter, Pam had been living on military bases nearly all of her life. While she never joined the service, she managed to stay on the base by working odd jobs as a civil service employee.

Yusuke, Hiei, and I found ourselves standing outside her single story home on the American naval base in Yokosuka. A lot has changed since the last time I visited Pam. The mailbox now reads "Winchester" and the once unruly lawn is now neatly manicured. Shrubs and a flowers dot the path to the front entrance. On the lawn are wooden ornaments depicting a pair of rabbits painting eggs.

"What's with the rodents?" asks Hiei.

"It's a crazy American holiday," supplies Yusuke. "They worship some egg-laying rabbit who came back to life to give little kids candy."

I can't help but laugh, "Actually Yusuke…"

"You guys coming in or are you going to stare all night?" yells a woman voice in heavily accented Japanese.

"Pamela, it's been too long!" I cry out enthusiastically.

We head towards the door; Pam pulls me into a bear hug at the threshold.

"Winchester?" I ask.

"I got married a few months ago. My husband, Dean, is on deployment right now, which is probably a good thing. I still haven't told him about you and Koenma," Pam replies as she ushers me inside.

She turns to Yusuke and Hiei and looks them up and down. Her eyes finally come to rest on Hiei's ass. She lets out an appreciative whistle. "And what have you brought me, Botan?"

I notice that Hiei seems to be squirming a bit uncomfortably. "Let me introduce Koenma's former spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi, and General Hiei of Lady Mukuro's army. Boys, this is Pamela Barnes-Winchester. She's worked for Koenma on and off for years."

Pam leads us into the dining room. Hiei remains standing just inside the door. Pam brews a pot of coffee in the kitchen while Yusuke and I select chairs. Pam returns with four mugs, and places them on the table. Hiei just glares at his and after an experimental sniff he returns it to the table. Pam and I trade gossip until everyone is finished with their coffee.

Pam places her empty mug on the table with a resounding clunk and looks pointedly at Hiei, "Koenma already told me the basics, but I want to hear it from you."

"Hnnn. Kurama was walking in front of me and then he disappeared."

Pam glares at Hiei. "Do you think you could be a little more vague?"

"I'm afraid there's nothing more to tell, Pam," I assure her. "Koenma exhausted all of his resources and we're still no closer to finding out what happened to him now then when we started."

"Well, I know a few scrying spells that _might_ work. I'll need something personal of his."

Hiei removes a small item from within the confines of his cloak and Pam laughs, "A rose? Is that some sort of lover's token?"

Yusuke stares at the perfectly preserved dried rose and joins in her laughter. "You've got to admit, Hiei. She has a point."

Hiei's hand moves towards his katana and I give him a pleading look. "Please Hiei, no maiming the stupid."

Hiei backs off with a warning growl. I return my attention to Pam, "You have to understand. In Kurama's hands, a rose is a very dangerous weapon."

"If you say so," Pam says removing a set of keys from her pocket. "We're going to need pull a few things from storage."

She leads us into the garage and starts pointing out boxes to the boys. Yusuke grabs the majority of the boxes and then tosses the last one to Hiei. Hiei catches it easily and heads towards the living room. Passing Pam, Hiei jumps and lets out a quiet yelp.

_What was that?_

I help Yusuke set up a folding table and chairs in the living room. Hiei is standing by the door glaring at Pam, who is currently drawing circles and runes on a tablecloth. Pam takes a moment to consult a dusty leather bound book before placing the cloth on the table.

We take seats around the table and Pam begins, "First thing we're going to try is a simple scrying spell. I need that rose Hiei…"

"Ningen, what the hell are you doing?" yells Hiei bolting from his seat.

"I need you to place the rose in the center of the table."

"Remove your hand or I will remove it. Permanently," Hiei growls.

Yusuke starts laughing hysterically, and soon I can't help but join in.

"Shut. Up. Woman I will not tolerate this behavior."

The room turns deathly silent for a few seconds, and then Yusuke bursts into laughing fits again. "I get it," Yusuke gasps, "it's because he's always with Kurama. He's not used to this sort of attention."

Hiei launches himself at Yusuke, but before they can do any serious harm both boys jump back sopping wet. I look over at Pam who has a bemused smile on her face and is holding an empty water pitcher.

"Boys, Can we continue with the spell already?" Pam asks innocently.

"Hiei, why don't you trade me seats," I offer. Hiei and I trade spots and I turn to Pam, "I thought you were married now."

"Married not dead," Pam laughs. "The shrimp's fun to mess with, but I would never cheat on Dean. Not only do I love him, his brother's one of the best divorce lawyers in California."

Pam begins the spell again. The boys and I hold hands and chant while Pam seems to enter a trance-like state.

_Why do I smell smoke and lilies?_

I can hear Pam calling me, but her voice sounds strangely distant. Then the whole world goes black.


	8. Chapter 8

_I started work on a second story, A Different Kind of Truth. It's a Fullmetal Alchemist and Danny Phantom crossover. I promise to keep working on both stories. _

_I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Supernatural _

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

"Perhaps, we started out on the wrong foot," suggests Koenma.

I can't help but smirk, "Perhaps?"

A smile plays at the corner of Botan's lips. Shaking her head, she proceeds with introductions. "My name is Botan and I'm in charge of Lord Enma's fairy girls. This is my lord, Koenma. And Jorge," she points to the ogre on the porch, "is Koenma's personal assistant and bodyguard."

"Don't forget 'best friend'!" calls Jorge.

"Don't make me reconsider, Ogre."

I stifle a laugh. Botan raises an eyebrow and gives me a questioning look. Suddenly I can't help it; the laugh slips out.

"It wasn't that funny," mutters Koenma.

"I'm sorry," I reply, once I can finally catch my breath. "You guys sound just like them."

"Like who, Fox? I can't help but think that you have us at a disadvantage here. You proved back at the diner that you already knew all of our names," replies Koenma.

"You're the son of Lord Enma. It's in every youkai's best interest to know what you and your entourage look like."

The tension in the air was palpable. That combined with the look on Botan's face, told me that I had made some sort of tactical error. When Koenma finally answered, he chose his words very carefully and deliberately. "My father considers me to be his greatest shame. I have no influence, no connections, and no authority. Only a handful of people in all three worlds know who I really am. So, I have one very simple question for you _Kurama._ How is it that you know?"

I shrink back a little. Regardless of how Lord Enma might _revere_ his son, Koenma is still a god. If this Koenma is half as powerful as mine, I could be in serious trouble. There's also still a possibility that these people might be able to help me.

'_I think it's time to come clean'_

_~Where's the fun in that?~_

"My real name is Shuichi Minamino. You may also know me as Youko Kurama."

"That's impossible," replies Botan. "Lord Enma personally killed Youko Kurama 350 years ago."

"370," corrects Koenma. "Assuming you're telling the truth, how can you claim to be both a human and a kitsune?"

"Let me start by saying, I'm not from this world. I recognized you three, because I know you in my world. I spent several years working for Lord Koenma."

"Doing what, exactly," asks Botan suspiciously.

I launch into a long explanation of my past and how I wound up at the farmhouse.

"So, Yomi tried to summon Youko Kurama. But since our version is dead, he summoned you by mistake," sums up Koenma.

"That's what I figure," I reply.

"What about you two?" Koenma says nodding towards Sam and Dean. "How is it that you have demons and angels chasing after you? Demons I can understand, but angels tend to keep to themselves. I can't remember the last time I saw one on Earth."

"I'm Dean and this is my little brother, Sammy. Supposedly, I'm destined to save the world," replies Dean with a mischievous grin. He managed to make it sound like that one simple statement explained it all.

"Okay," says Botan. "Care to elabor..."

Botan faints. I manage to catch her just before her head hits the ground. Jorge dashes over from the porch and shoves me out of the way.

"What happened?" questions Sam. "She was fine a minute ago."

"I don't know," says Koenma, shaking his head. "She seems to have simply fainted."

After a few minutes, Botan begins to stir. "Ugh! What happened?" Her gaze darts back and forth as she surveys her surroundings. Finally, her eyes come to rest on me. She suddenly jumps up and throws her arms around my neck. "Kurama!"

"bbbBotan?" stammers Koenma.

_~I think someone's jealous, Kit~_

"Ahh, Botan?" I tactfully extract myself from Botan's embrace.

"Where have you been?" she glares at me accusingly. "We've all been worried sick. Hiei's furious. He stormed into Koenma's office and threatened to cut his head off if he didn't find you quick."

I'm stunned. Somehow, this is the Botan I know. "Botan, I need you to stay calm. We've slipped into a parallel dimension. Currently, you're possessing your double from this world." She gives me a disbelieving stare. "Look at the way you're dressed. Now, look at Koenma and Jorge."

"That's Jorge," she squeaks.

"Hi," says Jorge.

"Whoa."

"I need you to tell me how you got here," I tell her.

"When Koenma couldn't find you, we went to see an old friend of mine. She's a psychic named Pam Winchester."

"Winchester?" says Sam and Dean in unison.

Botan looks at them confused. "Pamela Barnes-Winchester. The last thing I remember was Pam casting a scrying spell."

"There's no telling how long the spell will last," I tell her. "Maybe you guys can find a way to get me back, if you know how I got here."

"Makes sense," she nods.

"Sam could you please grab the book you confiscated from the teenage girls?"

While we await Sam's return, Koenma and Jorge questions Botan about me. Botan in turn, backs up my story. After a few minutes, Sam returns with the book.

This is the book the girls used to summon me here, Boek van de Demonen. I believe that if you can find the book in our world, you can use it to bring me back."

"I guess that makes sense," says Botan skeptically.

"I've got to know," pipes up Dean, "Who is Pam's husband?"

Botan shrugs, "It's…"

"Dammit!" yells Dean.

Botan faints again. When she opens her eyes again, it's apparent that my Botan is gone. Koenma and Jorge take a moment to fill the stunned fairy girl in on what happened.

"So, what now," I ask Koenma. "Are you going to take me to Lord Enma?"

"My orders were to bring in Yomi, dead or alive. Clearly, Yomi is dead. Father gave me three weeks to finish this assignment. With any luck, you'll be gone by then. We're sticking with you. If you still haven't found a way home before the three weeks is up, we'll have to deal with Lord Enma."

"I guess that's fair enough."

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_I must have done something right with the last chapter. The number of people who have it on story alert has doubled since I posted it. Now, if only I could figure out why…Please Review._


	9. Chapter 9

_Sorry, it took me so long to update. My real life keeps interfering with my virtual life. I've just had way too much homework._

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

I wake up with a jolt. Looking up, I see Yusuke and Pam's faces are hovering above me.

"Botan, are you okay," asks Yusuke.

I sit up way too fast. I hold my head attempting to stave off a wave of dizziness. Pam looks at me anxiously. "I'm alright. Just sat up too fast. Could you two give me some space, please? I saw Kurama."

That got Hiei's attention. Suddenly, Yusuke's face was replaced by Hiei's. With a growl he uttered one word, "Where?"

In the interest of self-preservation, I usually don't ignore Hiei, but I was getting tired of sitting on the cold tile floor. "Help me up."

I quickly outlined Kurama's situation.

"So what now?" asks Yusuke.

"Simple, Idiot. We find that book and bring my fox home," Hiei growls.

Yusuke raises an eyebrow at the 'my fox' comment, but for once in his life he does the smart thing. He stays quiet.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

Groaning, I glance over at the alarm clock. It's four in the morning. Maybe it's the strange bed or maybe it's the strange world, but I just can't sleep. Alcohol had helped the first night. But after yesterday morning's hangover, I decided to take my chances with insomnia.

To make matters worse, it's allergy season. I guess I'm just not used to North American flora. _The great plant master_, Youko Kurama, has allergies. It's humiliating. I feel like my own children have betrayed me.

Abruptly, I'm jolted fully awake by loud noises emanating from Sam's room next door. Dean sits up and grabs the gun from under his pillow. I'm halfway out the door when I hear moans accompanying the banging.

"Ruby," Dean groans. "Sam's demon girlfriend. Go back to bed. We can kill him in the morning."

Last night, Botan returned to Spirit World to investigate any probable ways of getting me home. Koenma and Jorge checked into our hotel. Koenma said something about 'not letting me out of his sight.'

Eventually, I drifted back to sleep. It seemed like only a few minutes later when Dean shook me awake.

"What time," I mutter groggily.

"Six. Get up. Sam says we have a job here."

As much as I'd like to find out what Dean's 'job' is, I figure it can wait until _after_ coffee.

Since the local diner wouldn't be servicing anyone anytime soon, we headed to the town's only burger joint, Hardee's. Dean and I joined Sam, Koenma, and Jorge in a large corner booth.

"Where's Ruby?" I whisper to Dean.

"Gone if she knows what's good for her," Dean answers, making no attempt to lower his voice. Across the booth Jorge and Koenma exchange confused looks.

Sam just glares. "Can we just get on with business?"

"Fine. What's the job, Sammy?"

Sam picks up a notebook and starts reading. "There have been a number of ghost sightings in this town. So far there have been two deaths. Both victims were killed when their vehicles were forced off road. There have been a few witnesses as well. Accounts vary from person to person, but all claim to have seen a horse and buggy."

"Horse and buggy?" Dean asks skeptically.

"Like what the Amish use," Sam answers. Seeing the confused looks on my face, as well as Jorge's and Koenma's, Sam launches into a more detailed explanation. "The Amish are known for their simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt modern convenience. They don't use electricity from public power lines and they don't own cars. They use horses and buggies for travel."

"Okay. Any reason some Amish ghost might want to go on a rampage?" asks Dean.

"I traced it back to an incident that happened about ten years ago. It was the first snowfall of the year and a local teenager lost control of his vehicle and slammed into an Amish buggy. The driver of the buggy was killed instantly and they had to shoot the horse. The kid walked away without a scratch. All of the sightings have occurred on that same stretch of Route 307. I've also established a connection between all of the victims and the teen."

"How were they related?" I ask curiously.

"The first victim was the teen's mother. The second was an ex-girlfriend. She was in the car when the accident occurred."

"So, what will you guys do exactly?" asks Koenma.

Dean answers, "Typically, we find the body, salt it, and burn it."

"You make it sound so simple," Jorge says nervously.

Dean and Sam chuckle. "It never is," says Sam.

"The ghosts tend to take exception to you burning their remains. Basically, you have to dig up a grave and salt and burn it while said ghost keeps trying to kill you," finishes Dean.

"Sounds like fun," I mutter. "Where do we start?"

"First step is to find the man's grave. Amish people really don't like talking to the press. I couldn't find any mentions in the local newspaper about funeral arrangements," Sam answers.

"Looks like we'll have to do some old fashioned leg work," says Dean.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_Every good lie contains some element of truth. Jefferson, OH is a real town. The ghost is based on incident that occurred my senior year of high school. One of my classmates slammed his car into an Amish buggy. The buggy's driver survived. The horse did not. Any names will be changed to protect the innocent._


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks to all of you who are still reading this and welcome newcomers._

'_Kurama's thoughts'_

_~Youko's thoughts~_

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

The day started out so simple. I took a trip with Sam and Dean to the county courthouse. It didn't take us long to discover the location of the driver's body. The grave was located on a small plot of land at the edge of town. The grave's location proved to be both a blessing and a curse. The plot was an Amish cemetery. It goes against Amish custom to visit gravesites, so the cemetery should be completely empty. There was one snafu, however. None of the graves are marked. Only one of the community elders has the map of where each family plot is located. (1)

"Doesn't leave us with many options, does it?" asks Dean.

"Well," sighed Sam, "The simplest way would be to wait for one of the victim's family members to die. We could follow them to the grave site."

"But there's no way of telling how long that could take and the ghost was still racking up victims," I add.

"Exactly," replies Sam. "We could wait for one of the other parishioners to die, and hope to spot the elder with the map."

"I wouldn't have any trouble stealing the map," I answer.

Jorge starts snickering. "No, I don't imagine that you would," states Koenma.

"Again, there's no telling how long that could take," replies Sam.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Dean asks. "Torch the whole graveyard?"

"That would seem a little like overkill," I answer.

"Not to mention, it would certainly attract the attention of the local sheriff's office," replies Koenma.

"You have any better ideas?" Dean sarcastically asks Koenma.

"I do, actually," Koenma smirks.

"Please, enlighten us," replies Dean

"We could use a dowsing spell. All I'd need is a pendulum and something of the victim's," replies Koenma.

"Anything?" asks Sam.

Koenma's suggestion is simple, but ingenious. I feel embarrassed that I hadn't thought of it first. "Koenma or I could try it with a variety of objects. The spell will be more effective, however, with something that was considered to hold intrinsic value by the victim," I reply.

"Then let's go find the widow," replies Dean.

"You go," says Sam. "I'm going to go find the person who hit the buggy and warn him."

"Good idea," says Jorge. "Allow me to join you." Sam nods his consent.

"I'll go with Dean," I volunteer.

"Where he goes I go," states Koenma.

_~What's a fox got to do to get a little privacy?~_

'_Maybe we should just consider ourselves lucky that he didn't insist on sleeping in the same bed.'_

"Just stay out of the way and let me do all of the talking," answers Dean.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

Dean, Koenma, and I arrived at the Amish farmhouse in the middle of the afternoon. Dean knocked on the door and a simply dressed woman of medium height answers.

"Ma'am, my name is Agent Gibbons from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. We found that some of the local wells have been contaminated with pesticides. Would you mind if my colleagues and I took a look around the farm?"

The woman offers Dean her hand, "Rebecca. Please come in."

"Stay out here," Dean commands before stepping into the home.

Koenma looks like he wants to protest, but I put a hand on his shoulder and draw his attention to the road. A few seconds later Koenma sees what my sharp ears had already picked up on. A group of Amish children pass by wearing old fashioned roller skates. (2) A boy around twelve years old breaks off from the main group and heads towards the farm.

"___Bis schpeeder," (3) the boy calls to his friends before entering a nearby barn. The boy quickly changes out of his skates and grabs a basket from a peg on the wall. He then enters a small garden and begins cutting asparagus and placing it in the basket._

_"__Let me try something," I tell Koenma and approach the boy._

___I grab a small knife from the barn and join the boy in the garden. "Let me help you. What's your name?"_

_"__I'm sorry, what are you doing here?" asks the boy._

_"__We're from the Department of Agriculture. My partner is inside talking to your mother."_

___The boy nods and passes me the basket, "I'm Amos. Could you hold this please?"_

_"__You kids enjoy roller skating?" I asked._

___Amos laughed. "Surprised you, didn't it?"_

___I nodded, "I didn't think that you would be allowed to use skates."_

_"__We can have roller skates," Amos chuckled, "but not bicycles." I frowned, and Amos continued, "I don't understand it either, but I know better than to question my elders."_

_"__We've never tried roller skating," I wave to indicate Koenma. "Do you think you could teach us?" It was a lie of course; Shiori and I had been rollerblading many times._

_"__Let me put these inside and I'll ask my mom," Amos replied. "Wait here."_

Amos ran inside to talk to his mother. Meanwhile, I stood at the edge of the garden and fed the plants some of my energy. Amos and Rebecca wouldn't have to worry about having enough vegetables this year.

Koenma walked over to join me. "What's going on?"

"I'm befriending the boy. Have you ever been roller skating?" I ask.

Koenma made a face like he'd just eaten something sour. "Of course not."

"Well, Amos is about to teach us. In case Dean can't find anything, I'm hoping Amos will lead us to something we can use."

Amos came streaking out of the house and ran straight for the barn. "Come on you guys!"

Fifteen minutes later, Amos and I were skating circles around Koenma. The young god still couldn't get more than five feet without landing flat on his butt.

"So, whose skates are we borrowing? No one's going to be upset that we're borrowing these, are they?"

Amos helped Koenma to his feet for the umpteenth time. "Yours were my older brother's; he's since outgrown them. The one's Koenma's wearing doesn't belong to anyone. They were my father's, but he died when I was little."

'_Bingo'_

_~Finally, something I can steal~_

'_Not steal, borrow. We'll sneak in tonight and they'll be back before Amos wakes up.'_

_~Killjoy~_

"Okay, you guys go on without me. I'm too sore to continue," Koenma complains after landing on his rear again.

"Perhaps it's time we quit. I still have to help my mother with dinner," Amos replies. Amos and I helped Koenma back to the barn where we changed our shoes. I placed a few seeds under Koenma's skates before leaving.

Exiting the barn we find Dean standing next to the Impala waiting for us. "Where have you girls been? Let's go."

"Thanks for the lesson Amos." I wave and trot over to the car. Koenma also grumbles a 'thank you' and follows.

Dean pulls the Impala back onto the road and mutters, "Well that was a complete waste of time."

"How so?" Koenma asks.

"We have to wait until Rebecca's father can walk the field with us. She wants us to wait two more days," Dean answers. "I'm glad you guys had fun while I was working."

"I've made arrangements to secure what we need. All we have to do is wait until dark and come back," I inform Dean. "The skates Koenma was wearing belonged to Amos's dad."

"Oh," replies Dean.

**XxxLine BreakxxX**

_I had a really hard time writing this chapter. I'd originally tried to write an interview with Rebecca, but I couldn't get it to come out right. This afternoon I scrapped everything that I had written for chapter 10 and started over again._

_In case you're wondering, I did not just pull all of this out of my a#*. I did my homework._

_Most Amish cemeteries have rows of identical headstones with nothing more than the deceased's name. However, some parishes, like this one, do not mark the graves._

_Almost all parishes allow for roller skates, but most do not allow bikes._

_Amish children are taught a form of German before English. '____Bis schpeeder' is Pennsylvania Dutch for 'Goodbye.'_

_Until next time, thanks for reading and please review._


	11. Discontinued but Replaced

First, I'd like to thank everyone who read this story. Particularly, those who added this to their alert or favorites list. And of course, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed.

I have some good news and some bad news. Let's start with the bad. I've chosen not to continue this fic. It was my first fanfic and it desperately needs a rewrite. I'd like to think that my writing has improved since I first started this fic. Heck, did any of you notice that I claimed that Kurama was both alive _and _dead in Dean's world? Talk about a plot hole. Now for the good news, I'm working to fix these problems. Using this story as a framework, I've started a new fic, _The Fox and the Apocalypse._

_The Fox and the Apocalypse_ will be set during Season Six of _Supernatural_ instead of Season 4. I've also switched to third person narrative.

Chapter One is already up. Please read and give me your feedback. I'll delete _Misplaced Fox _in a few weeks.


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